Letters to the Editor | Sept. 29, 2022

The city of Philadelphia must stop being the killing field it has become. There has been enough lip service in phrases like “our hearts and prayers are with you,” “this is unacceptable,” etc. It brings about no change.

The proliferation of guns must be addressed with actual plans specific to this problem. Recreation centers and extra policing will never accomplish this. Thinking it will is not facing the reality of the depth of the problem. The focus and solution are in gun ownership. Owners of guns must be willing to take on the responsibility of gun ownership.

Guns must be treated as automobiles are, with mandated laws requiring title of ownership, license to operate, liability insurance that’s renewable yearly, etc. It is time to go past the lip service and start legislation that has teeth. This city and its inhabitants deserve nothing less. What more has to happen to see this done?

One wonders if legislatures and other officials and administrators read op-eds or letters to the editor to get the pulse and thinking of the community. These opinions should be more important than just becoming the next day’s trash.

Barbara Chernak, Philadelphia

We are all concerned about the increase in the number of murders in Philadelphia and throughout our country. Republicans are trying to blame Democrats, saying they are too soft on crime. However, when it comes to murder, the elephant in the room is guns. The murder rate rose by over 30% in the U.s. in 2020, and over 75% of those murders were committed with a firearm (the greatest share ever reported by the CDC). Gun sales in 2020 hit a record high, and more and more people are carrying guns thanks to increasing gun deregulation. 2020 murder rates have been reported to be 40% higher in red states, which often have more lax gun laws. most people in the U.s. support sensible gun safety legislation, including efforts to keep guns out of the hands of criminals and other dangerous individuals. Republican legislators, not Democratic, have often blocked most of these efforts. Don’t be fooled. Republican policies are largely responsible for our increasing murder rate.

Barbara A. Kelly, Fort Washington

In regard to the op-ed by the Committee of seventy on amending the state constitution, an even bigger issue exists. Amendments to the state constitution can only be proposed by the legislature. Thus, no method exists to amend the constitution without legislative approval.

Presently, Pennsylvania has a large (second among states), full-time (one of 10 states), and bicameral legislature. With the one person-one vote ruling, a bicameral legislature provides no advantage over a unicameral legislature. If we eliminated the state senate, Pennsylvania would still have one of the largest full-time legislatures. However, we would eliminate 50 salaries, the offices and staff supporting them, and the per diem expenses and the future pensions associated with them. Even greater, if we eliminated the General Assembly, we would eliminate 203 positions and still have 50 full-time legislators. To accomplish this requires a proposal by the exact people being eliminated. The amendment process has become a means of empowering the legislature rather than a means for correcting deficiencies.

Mark Stewart, West Chester

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